Blend some of the best features of a compact wagon with those from a small SUV and you've got the 2001 Ford Escape XLT. It's 16 valve 2.0L Zetec provides the zip to this nifty little package, and the unibody construction yields a car-like ride - well, a tall car-like ride. We enjoyed the extras on this model: the leather seats and premium sound system. Our passengers also lauded the ride, the seats, and the leg room.

The really Good News is that we're only a year or so away from the Escape HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle). And since it looks like Ford will be the first hybrid SUV, and given the extraordinary popularity and success of the Explorer, it's fair to anticipate a huge success. Like the Prius sedan, the Escape HEV will utilize a four-cylinder gasoline-powered engine, an electric drivetrain, and advanced regenerative braking. You brake and you charge your batteries at the same time. You come to a stop - and there is silence. Like a high powered golf cart. It's a driving experience you won't forget.

- Editor

• Review by Carey Russ
• Review by Annabelle Frankl
• Ford Escape to have clean, efficient hybrid-electric powertrain in 2003
• 2001 Show Themes at the New York International Automobile Show
• Manufacturer Info by Carey Russ
• 2001 Ford Escape: Design
• "American Driver" Program
• Compar-a-graph--See how it stacks up

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